THANE: Owing to several citizens thronging the market for Diwali shopping, the Thane traffic department has imposed road diversion and will not allow vehicles to take the Jambli Naka market route. This, however, will affect traffic in the adjoining areas, including the station.

The department has sent out a notification about the diversion of vehicular traffic from Anand Talkies and Jambli Naka junction not allowing morotists to take the market route. The diversions, in effect from November 1 (actually implemented from November 2) to November 9, will, however, cause a huge congestion on Ram Maruti Road, Gokhale Road and even the station area.

“The vehicles, including buses, will be diverted to small lanes, which are already jammed on an ordinary day. Also, less parking in these areas will lead to illegal and haphazard parking blocking roads and causing congestion,” said a senior officer from the Thane traffic department.
Vehicles, which earlier headed towards the market from court naka will now have to go towards Tower naka from the Jambli naka junction. Also, bikes and cars, which used to take the market route from Anand Talkies will now have to take the Cidco route from the theatre.

Residents stuck in traffic owing to the diversion said that absence of other alternate routes have left the shoppers high and dry.

“The Cidco area was jam packed as many vehicles were seen there probably because of many shoppers in the market area and vehicles could not head there. We were stuck till Kalwa Naka for almost 20 minutes as there was no other route to take,” said Dipika Valsarajan, a resident of Kalwa.
Roshan Rai, a motorist, said, “The vehicles were moving at a snail’s place on Gokhale road. Also, there were many hawkers selling Diwali decorations and blocking the road. Even the alternative routes like Ram Maruti Road and Almeida Road were jammed. It will surely get worse over the weekend.”